And eli eidg



W. s. RICHARDSON e RIDGWAY.

eleAR GUTTER.

810.388.762. Y Patented Sept. 18, 1888.

Het. 4.

N. Firms. Phmoumcgmpher, waehingwn, DA t.

UNITED lSTATES PATENT EEICE.

VVINFIELD S. RICHARDSON, 'OF W'OODBURY, NEW JERSEY, AND ELI RIDG- VVAY,OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA; SAID RIDG/VAY ASSIGNOR TO REBECCA K.RIDGWAY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

CIGAR-CUTTER.

^ SPECIFICATION forming part ofLetters Patent No. 389,762, datedSeptember 18, 18E 8.

Application filed Octnbeill, 1987. Sci-iai No. 253,745. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, WIN'FIELD S. RICH- ARDsON, a resident of Woodbury,Gloucester county, New Jersey, and ELI RIDGWAY,a resi.-

d eiit of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and both citizens of the UnitedStates, have invented certain Iinprovementsin Cigar-Tip Cutters, ofwhich the following is a specification.

The main object of our invention is to so ccnio Struct a cigar-tipcutter with a spring-actuated knife as to insure the cutting off of thetip by one blow of the knife; and a further Object is to call attentionto the lighting flame or taper whenever a tip is cut off. These objectswe r 5 attain in the manner hereinafter set forth, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a view,partlyinsection and partly in elevation,of our improved cigar-tip cutter;

2O Fig. 2,a perspective view of the operating parts of the devicedetached from the frame; Fig. 3, an enlarged view of part of thedevice,and Fig. 4 a view illustrating modifications.

In Fig. l, A represents part of the box or 2 5 frame, or it may be partof acounter or showcase of any desired construction. Secured in this boxis a frame, B, carrying the spindles of a spring-actuated train ofwheels, three spindles, a, b, and d, being shown in the presentin- 50stance, the winding spindle a carrying the spring D and having the usualratchet-wheel, f,.with retainingpawl g. The spindle d is furinshed witha knife-b1ade, F, and said spindle has a pinion, l1., gearing with aspur-wheel, i,

on the spindle b, a pinion, m, on which gears into a spur-wheel, n,connected to the spindle a bythe spring D, as usual in springactuatedgearing.

Hung to the frame B is a lever, J, the long 4o arm of which carriesaspring,w,bearing against the frame and serving to keep the short arm ofthe lever in engagement with a shoulder, o, in a cam-slot, o,formed in adrum, K, on the knifespindle d, as shown, so as to prevent the rotationof said knife under the influence of the spring acting through the trainof gears.

In the box A and frame B, above the short arm of the lever J, areopenings w, through Yfromengagement With the shoulder n and the knifewill be rotated so as to cut off so much 0f the tip of the cigar as isbeneath the top plate ofthe frame B.V As soon as the tip is cnt off thelever J resumes its former position, so as to again strike the shoulderc and stop the knife when it has completed its rotation. In order toinsure such movement ofthe lever as will insure its contact with theshoulder c, the cam-slot c has a portion, t, which directs the leverinto line with the shoulder in case the spring fails to act on time.

The frame B has bearings for a fourth spindle, M, a pinion, p, on whichgears into the spur-Wheel n, and on the projecting upper end ofsaidspindle is placed a device, P, for exhibiting pictures oradvertisements. This de- Vicewe make in the form of a case for inclosinga taper, y, the darne from which serves as a cigar-1ighter, the spindleM being preferably hollow for the passage of the wick, as shown. Thesides of the casing and thematters to be exhibited thereupon arepreferably transpai" ent.

Vhen the knife F makes a revolution so as to cut olf the tip of a cigar,the case P has a partial turn imparted to it, thus attracting atntention to the lighting flame or taper and bringing a new face to thefront. The use of a lever, J, as a retainer for the knife isnotessential to our invention, aspring-plate, J, being shown in Fig. 4 as asubstitute for the lever; nor is it necessary that the retainer shouldengage with a cani-slot and shoulder, as it may engage directly with thebutt of the knife, as shown in said figure, as soon as the knife hascompleted its revolution, the retainer being depressed below the butt ofthe knife, so as to release the same when it is pressed down by thecigar-tip, but resuming its former position as soon as the tip hasbeencut off. The gearing maybe dispensed with in some cases. For instance,in Fig. 4 we have shown a drum, d', 95 connected to the spindle d andacted on directly by the spring D; but the construction shown in Figs. 1and 2 is preferred.

Ve are aware that a spring-aotnated disk has been used in connectionwith a retainingtrigger operated by the pressure of the cigartip; butsuch disk was iliade with a series of projecting knives, like the teethof a circular saw, the cutting-edge of one ofthe knives being alwaysadjacent to the opening for the tip of the cigar. A device of thischaracter is ineffective, for the reason that unless the cutting bladeacquires considerable momentum before reaching the cigar-tip it Will nothave force enough to sever the same.

In our cutter a single knife-blade is used, and this blade is arrestedimmediately afterit has completed the cutting off of the tip, so thatwhen again released it makes almost a coml plete revolution before itcomes into contact with the cigar, the momentum thus acquired insuring aquick stroke and a clean cut.

\Vithout claiming, broadly, therefore, the combination of aspring-actuated rotating cutter with a retaining-trigger operated by thepressure ofthe cigar-tip to be cut,\ve claim as our invention and desireto secure by Letters Patentl. The combination, in a cigar-tip cntter,ofa plate having an opening for the tip of a eigar, a spring-actuatedspindle having a single projecting knifcblade, a retainer constructed tobe tripped by the pressure of a cigar-tip thereupon, and a stop-shouldercarried by the spindle and engaging with said retainer, saidstop-shoulder being so located in the rear of the knife-blade that themovement of the latter is arrested as soon as it has passed the openingon completing its cut, all substantially as specified.

2. The combination of a plate having an opening for the cigar-tip, aspring-actuated cutting-knife, a knifespindle having a drum withshouldered cam-slot,and a retainer engaging with said shoulder, as setforth.

3. The combination of a plate having an opening for the cigar-tip, aspindle having a cutting knife, a lighting-taper, a casingsurroundiugthe same, a spindle carrying said cas ing, a spring, andtrain of gears for operating said spindles, and a retainer for theknifespindle, as set forth.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

\V. S. RICHARDSON. ELT RIDGVAY.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM D. Con-NER, HARRY SMITH.

